I need a hero!
by chloraseptic
Summary: Casey McDonald has not been treated fair when it comes to love. So when she meets Ben she falls head over heels. But Derek will do anything to stop it. DASEY!
1. Fall for Him

Part One 

There was a new boy at school, and he had caught Casey McDonald's eye.

She wasn't ready to get into a relationship, especially after her last messy breakup with Max. It was an off again on again relationship until a few weeks ago when she had to just end it. They were still friends (even though it was awkward to see him around with his new girlfriend) and so it wasn't a surprise when she stopped by his locker after math class to talk. The surprise was that Max was hanging out with a new guy that was strangely attractive.

"Hey Max." She said, eyeing the new boy. The new boy reminded Casey of Max, only so much more adorable. His brown hair was almost too long and fell into his dark, seawater blue eyes. He had a strong jaw that supported the bright white smile he flew Casey's way as Max answered.

"Hey Case. Have you met Ben?" Max asked, closing his locker and pulling his Trig book out.

"No we haven't." Ben said in his low, raspy voice. He held his hand out and in efforts to put her hand out too Casey dropped all her books.

"Stupid, stupid me." Casey mumbled, as she got down on her hands and knees to pick up her books. Ben and Max got down to help her and Casey looked up. Ben was staring at her right in the eyes. He gave her another smile and Casey could feel her face turn red. She stood back up and almost bonked him in the head, but caught herself. She took her books back right as the warning bell rang. She still had to get to her locker. So she bid her goodbyes to Max and Ben and started walking to her locker. Someone tapped her on the shoulder though. Casey looked back and saw Ben standing there.

"Mind if I walk to you class?" he said, grabbing some of her books and placing them on top of his own. Casey really had no say, but she wouldn't have denied him. So they walked to her locker and got her books.

Meanwhile, Derek Venturini was at his own locker and saw Casey and Ben pass. Derek looked in confusion as he watched them walk down to Casey's locker. "Who is that guy?" Derek said to Sam, who now approached him.

"That's Ben Gerard. He's probably the best goalie on this side of the country." Derek shot Sam a nasty look and Sam corrected himself. "Well, that is, besides you." Derek nodded in agreement.

"Well it doesn't matter because he's not going to be dating Casey anytime soon." Derek pulled out an ancient looking and smelling sandwich from his locker.

"Why?" Sam said, as Derek threw the sandwich on his pile of books. "Because you are going to be asking her out?" Sam smirked when Derek shoved him.

"No way!" Derek said, following the happy couple with his eyes. "He's not her type, and he wouldn't be able to keep up with someone that is such a stuck up neat freak."

"Does that help you get to sleep at night?" Sam said as the late bell rang. Kids rushed into classes leaving Derek and Sam alone in the hallway. "Or is it the comfort of knowing that Casey is just a wall away." Sam tilted his head some with this comment as if he was making a point of some kind.

"Ugh, could you be anymore disgusting?" Derek said, rolling his eyes. "You know I don't keep girlfriends longer than and when I do its not because I love them or anything."

"Well," Sam said, walking into his classroom. "She's not your girlfriend is she?"

Derek showed Sam the international sign of peace and love while he turned back around to walk to English. It was the only class he had with Casey. And he wondered what he was going to do. Was Sam right, or was he just trying to get back at how Derek tried to split them up. That question burned in his head as he walked into class.

**AN: Yeah, this is my first fanfic and I hope you all like it. I am going to keep adding on since I already finished it. . . **


	2. Treated Like a Princess

AN: continuing where I left off. . .

Part Two 

When Derek arrived late, Casey just rolled her eyes. Ben toke the seat next to her and noticed this action. "Do you know him?" Ben said, with some sort of jealous tone.

"Yeah," Casey said, pulling open her English book to the page set on the board. "He's my step brother."

"Oh," Ben spoke with a relaxed tone now and laughed as Derek was placed two seats in front of him.

"Oh my gosh." Casey sighed and slouched down in her seat a bit. "I hate Macbeth." Ben smiled and pushed his desk over to hers.

"What's so hard about it?" Ben asked, opening his book also. Casey opened her mouth but Ben cut in. "There's nothing hard about it look."

And he started to work his magic on the page. It was amazing how easily he described the five main themes and changed the Iambic Pentameter into normal modern English. Casey just smiled, so glad that she sat by him.

"Do you have that power over math?" She said, after they started to work on the questions in their book.

"Not really." His smile fit so perfectly on his face, and he looked weird without it, well, that's what Casey decided. Casey saw that he slipped his College Placement math book under his desk.

"Well mister." Casey pulled her eyes back up to his, attempting her own flirtatious smile. "Why don't you come by tonight and help me with my PreCal homework?" Ben caught along to the plan and nodded his head. The teacher began to speak and they both followed along.

Casey thought she was actually going to enjoy sitting in the back this year.

"Ben Gerard?" Emily said, on their walk back to their homes.

"Yeah," Casey said as she shifted her book bag to the other arm. "What do you know about him?"

"Well," Emily said, walking around a group of Goth kids that were sitting on the sidewalk smoking some sort of illegal substance. "Because he is a new student, I don't know a lot about him, but I do know that he is a fantastic hockey player that's played in many different countries."

"So he's well traveled!" Casey has a smile on her face. "That's so cool!"

"Yeah," Emily said "And I have Spanish with him and he's so fantastic. In fact they are bumping him up to the college placements. The story behind it is that he studied in Spain while he was playing hockey."

"That is pretty rad." Casey approached their street. "The only part that I don't like about it is that he's a hockey player."

"Casey," Emily crossed the street in a hurry. "Just because he's a hockey player doesn't mean that he's a player. From what I hear he's just in hockey to get a scholarship to Yale or Harvard. He's also some sort of genius."

Casey thought back to earlier that day in English. "Yeah, that doesn't surprise me." She said, as they walked up her driveway.

"Hey, do you want to hang out later? My parents are out at some Halloween party and they are letting me order in tonight. Thai for you, Pizza for me?" Emily's offer was almost too good to pass up.

"Nah, I can't." Casey said as the started to go their separate ways. "Ben is coming by at six to help me with my PreCal homework, and I have to shovel up all this snow before he gets here. Can you believe its snowing in October?"

"No I can't!" Emily stared at all the snow that was on the stairs she was walking up. "Come by afterwards and share all the juicy details. Oh, and the homework." Casey laughed and waved to her friend as she walked inside her house.

When Casey walked in the door she saw Derek lounging on the couch, not in his usual chair. "Wow." Casey said as she hung up her jacket and scarf on the stand by the door. "That must be one of those out of body experiences." Derek smirked.

"Hey, Dad and Nora are going out tonight so you're babysitting." Derek got up and started climbing the stairs.

"What you have a hot date or something?" Casey said, following behind him.

"No, but I've got better things to do." Derek called down. He didn't want to explain to Casey that there hasn't been anyone that has caught his eye in the past month or so. He opened his bedroom door and started walking into his room.

"Well I actually _have _a date so you are going to have to watch them." Casey said, enjoying the liberation she got. Derek stopped dead in his tracks.

"With who? Ben?" Derek said. Casey cocked her head in confusion.

"How'd you know?" Casey said, propping her door open with her foot.

"When you are as hot as I am, you just know things." Derek said. Casey rolled her eyes and threw her book bag in her room. Then he continued. "And it doesn't matter because you are still going to have to watch them."

Casey just screamed his name as he closed the door. Then he leaned against it and closed his eyes. He knew as much about Ben as Casey did, and knew he was Mr. Perfection, AKA the guy that Casey has been waiting to meet since the beginning of time. If he didn't act now he would never have his chance. Then he caught himself. Why did he want a chance at neat freak, never-stopped-annoying-him Casey?

Well it didn't matter. He was still going to ruin the relationship. With every chance he got.


	3. Are there Thorns?

It took a little bribing, a dash of threatening and a lollipop to get all the kids to agree to act up for Casey that night. Only Lizzie disagreed, but Derek knew she wouldn't ever give in. Edwin asked why Derek was so determined to break up this relationship, but Derek didn't answer that question. He couldn't answer that question. Not yet anyways.

When five thirty rolled around, Derek disappeared. Casey was glad she didn't have to deal with him tonight and started doing her makeup. At five thirty-five though, everything turned to hell.

Edwin started having stomach pains and Marti began to destroy the house. So Casey wasn't able to finish her makeup or pick out a cute outfit for that night. When they finally calmed down the doorbell rang. Casey looked into the mirror and noticed her makeup was slightly smudged from Marti's attacks, but it didn't look horrible. What did look horrible was her hair, which she was in the process of curling with rollers. She quickly pulled them out and looked back in the mirror. It had the wavy effect her mother said they would.

Ben didn't look half bad either when Casey finally got to the door. He wore a blue and white rugby shirt that brought out both his tan and his eyes. He was a good four inches taller than Casey and now she noticed it. He handed her some flowers he got her and she awed. After all, it _was _a sweet gesture.

They sat on the couch and started working when Marti once again disrupted them. In fact, it was Edwin too. They began fighting with light sabers that ended up with fists. "Guys!" Casey screamed, finally having enough. Marti and Edwin looked at her with scared looks. "Can we PLEASE stop?! Can't you see we are trying to study?"

"No!" Marti said, in typical six-year-old fashion. "Make us!" Casey got up and began to head towards them when Ben put a hand on her shoulder.

"Let me." He said, proceeding to walk over and talk to Marti. He got down to her level and began to talk to her. "What's wrong Marti?" He said, poking her belly playfully. "Are you hungry?" Marti nodded her head. "Do you like burgers?" She nodded her head again with much more force. He laughed and Marti laughed. "Well its decided then." He grabbed his coat off the banister. "We are going to get burgers."

Casey opened her mouth to disagree but she saw that both Edwin and Marti were finally agreeing to do something other than fight. Casey gave in reluctantly and helped to put on their snow equipment. The younger children ran quickly to play in the freshly fallen snow while Ben and Casey lingered behind.

"I know that you aren't wanting to go out." Ben said, helping Casey on with her coat. "But we have to take a study break. After all, you can't focus on an empty stomach." Casey smiled as they walked out the door.

The burger shop that Ben toke them to was as ordinary as Ben was. It was only about five blocks down from Casey's house so they decided to walk. It was surprising walking in, how warm the building was. It had bright orange walls and yellow tables with suns painted on them. There were decorations for Halloween up everywhere Casey looked in awe as she walked up to the counter. A lady with a big goofy smile and a pumpkin hat took their orders.

They sat by the window and watched the snow start to fall again. "Is this place new?" Casey said. She started to unwrap her burger and noticed how carefully it was prepared.

"Nah," Ben said, mid bite. Edwin had a laugh and so did Marti and he shot them a smile. He swallowed before continuing. "Whenever I'm on trips to games we always used to stop here, me and my dad that is. My mom is a vegan, so this kind of food doesn't really apply to her. So I would say about ten years? That's when I started playing hockey anyways."

Casey stared at him with amazement. "Hockey eh? That's such an awful sport."

"Oh how could you say that?" Ben acted like he was actually offended. It made Casey smile. "No, I know what you are talking about. Hockey players don't have the best rep, but no sports player does. I do what I love and I surround myself with the things I love. That's why I spend such a long time at home studying. Because I love school." Casey smiled. _Good answer, _she thought to herself.

They finished eating and headed back outside to go back home. Edwin and Marti ran ahead and made snowballs in the snow in the giant snow bank at the end of Casey's street. Casey and Ben walked alone for a few moments before Ben broke the awkwardness.

"Did you have fun on our study break?" He said. Casey knew he was smiling without even looking at his face.

"It was…unexpected." She said. "I like the unexpected."

That's when Ben kissed her. It was as good as his smiles and his help in English class that day. Only his kiss had more passion then William Shakespeare could ever write about.

"How's that for unexpected?" Ben asked, as they pulled apart. Casey gave him one of her smiles and threw a bit of snow at his head. That started a playful snow fight involving Team Ben/Edwin versus Team Casey/Marti till they got to the front door.

Nora opened the door and hugged Marti and Edwin in one giant swoop. "Oh, I'm so glad you all are okay!" Nora said, and she looked like she had been crying.  
"Mom? Are you okay?" Casey asked as she walked through the door. Ben followed behind.

"Yes, I'm fine now. I just didn't know you all were going out and you didn't leave a note. Derek said he didn't know anything either so I was worried! I'm so glad you are alright now, but you need to shake off all that snow on the front porch."

Casey, Ben, Marti and Edwin walked back outside and emptied their garments of snow. Marti and Edwin went inside though, leaving Casey and Ben to their own doings.

"Thank you for tonight Ben." Casey said, after another long awkward pause.

"Thank you for inviting me over." Ben said. And with that he left her with another tender kiss as he walked back down to his car.

Casey went upstairs to her room to talk to Emily before she headed to sleep. Derek stopped in the hallway though, preventing her from doing either task.

"Where did you go with Ben?" He asked, sniffing her as if she was out smoking or drinking.

"Since when was it your business?" Casey said, passing him. "And since when do you care what happens to me."

Derek looked around for a response. Edwin was coming out of his room when he saw Derek and Casey in the hallway. He began to creep back into his room, but Derek grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him back out.

"I care about Edwin. Who else would I have to do my dirty work?" Edwin looked up with respect at his brother before crossing his arms and giving Casey a look.

"Whatever, I'm going to call Emily." With that Casey walked into her bedroom.

"He's going to break your heart Case!" Derek screamed through the door.

"Man," Edwin said. He walked back into his room. "You've got it bad."


	4. I Can't Believe I'm Here

Part Four 

"And Derek was defensive about it?" Emily said, as they were walking to school the next morning. They were talking about the most recent date Casey had with Ben. It had been almost four months since they had started dating, and every day Casey spent with Ben was an adventure. He was everything she could have hoped for in a man, and Casey was falling hard. The only thing that surprised Casey was that every time she arrived back from a date Derek would question her like the first night.

The snow was icing over and they had to do everything to try and make sure they stayed standing. Casey never got the chance the night before to call Emily before heading off to bed. In fact, the only person she got to talk to on the phone was her great aunt Kathy about her hip replacement surgery. That conversation was quite draining.

"Yeah." Casey was munching on a bagel because Derek ate all the pancakes that morning. Speaking of Derek, he seamed to be following a bit to closely behind them. Casey wondered if he was listening. "It was as if he cared about me."

"He might care about you some Case." Emily said. "After all, you are his step sister."

"Yeah but since when did he start thinking of me that way. Usually he just thinks of me as the mold growing on the bathroom sink." Both Emily and Casey shared a shudder with that statement. They arrived at the school building to see kids leaving.

"What's going on?" Emily asked, approaching Sam and some others.

"They are closing school for the day. Conditions are said to get much worse. Try freezing rain and snow worse. Teachers are handing out homework sheets to their students. But if you avoid them you don't need to do anything tonight." Sam filled them in, but his eyes were focused on Emily.

"I can't do that." Casey said, walking up the steps and into the building. "I have to do as they request." Sam sighed and let Emily pass, helping her up the stairs. Once inside the building, Casey questioned that movement. "You and Sam huh?" She nudged her friend who seemed to be thinking about that same question.

"I wouldn't know." Emily said, as she was handed a sheet from her history teacher. "He's cool but I highly doubt he's interested in me."

"Oh come on Em!" Casey grabbed a sheet from her PreCal and English teachers. "He'd be crazy to think you were anything less than worthy." They went to their lockers and started to sort through their junk to get their books when Ben approached Casey. He kissed her forehead and began to help her with her belongings. It was fine till someone tapped Ben on the shoulder.

"What do you think you are doing Benny-Boy?" It came from a blonde girl half of Casey's size with eyes as cold as it was outside. "Why are you hitting on this girl? Does she know you have a girlfriend?"

"Yeah." Casey said. "That girlfriend is me!" But when she looked at Ben froze and Casey caught on.

"Hun." The girl said, snapping her finger and moving into Casey's face. "You have to be kiddin' yourself. Ben and I have been dating since April." The girl placed her arm around Ben's shoulders. She couldn't believe that she allowed herself to be the other woman. She actually thought Ben wasn't like all the other hockey players. She thought he wasn't a player. She just shut her locker and ran out the door.

Flying down the stairs outside the building, Casey slid and fell. Or she was supposed to. Someone caught her fall. She turned around and saw it was Derek. She found it so hard to keep her tears in, while a few escaped, rolling down her cheeks and freezing in place.

"Casey you've got to watch out these stairs are slippery and…" He looked up from helping her out and saw her crying. "Case, is everything okay?" He spoke now as if he cared. Casey wished he did though. She just tore herself out of his arms. She didn't want his pity. Behind her Ben opened the door and called out after her.

Derek isn't as dumb as he looks. Well, sometimes he is but not now. He pieced things together the same way that Casey did. He didn't run away from the problem. He ran to it.

"What did you do punk?" This was a rhetorical question. Derek knew that Ben had somehow hurt Casey. Casey wanted to run, but she didn't. Her feet were locked in place.

"Its none of your business Derek. This is between me and Casey, not you." Ben was trying to get around Derek, but not even his impressive frame stood a chance against Derek.

"When it involves Casey, it involves me." With that statement Derek made sure to knock the lights out of Ben. The blow from Derek's fist to Ben's jaw made a great cracking noise.

"DEREK!" Casey cried out. She had to cover her mouth with her hands. Did she really say that out loud? And did he just really stick up for her?

"Come on Case." Derek said, grabbing his stepsister's arm. "Lets get out of here."


	5. I think I'm Cured!

AN: Hey guys! Thank you so much for R&R and its so awesome feeling so loved by you all. Make sure to keep me in your thoughts though because I'm writing another Dasey fanfic and then a Hannah Montana one! Thank you for reading and enjoy!

Part Five 

"I can't believe you did that back there." Casey said. They were walking opposite of the direction of their home. "Thank you." Derek hung his head and had his hands in his pockets. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to explain his actions back there.

They sat on a snow bank and that's where Casey started to cry. Derek wasn't used to girls crying. Well, he never really saw it. It was awkward but all he could to do was rub her back and pull her into his arms. It upset him though, to know that Ben had won another victim. Is that what happened to the girls he cheated on? He decided mentally that he was never going to cheat on another girl again. Apparently though, he wasn't the only one deciding things.

"I've decided." Casey said after a few minutes. "That I don't like the unexpected. It hurts." She thought back to what Ben had said that day in the burger shop. _I love to surround myself with the things I love. _Yeah, and he loves girls.

"Yeah." Derek said, looking down at his now black-and-blue hand. His knuckles were starting to swell and turn white. "It does."

"Oh my gosh Derek what happened to you hand?!" Casey said, now all worried. She held his hand in hers and noticed how large and rough they were.

"Nothing as painful as a broken heart though." He said, letting her hold his hand. It felt right, and he felt stupid saying that too. He hasn't felt that way about someone since Kendra, his last serious relationship that ended when she moved at the end of last semester. Even then though, he didn't feel this way. "I'm sorry that I said he was going to break your heart." He continued.

"Whatever. Lets just call you Psychic Derek." Casey said, closing her fingers around Derek's hand. It was warm, just like his arms around her. He laughed at this. She noticed something about Derek. His laugh was genuine. "Why did you stick up for me Derek?" she asked. She thought she had stepped over the edge a bit but then he answered.

"I don't know." He said. He put his other hand over hers and held her closer. "It was a range of emotions."

"I'm glad you did though." She looked up at him and noticed for the first time how pretty his eyes are. He noticed that she was staring at him and decided to do exactly what he decided he was going to do the night before. He kissed her.

Casey was surprised but suddenly she noticed how right it felt. Now, he wasn't as good of a kisser as Ben had been, but it didn't matter. At least this kiss was genuine. They pulled apart and sat forehead to forehead.

"I love you Casey." Derek said. "I don't love you like a sister, or a friend, or maybe just a girlfriend. I love you the way I've never loved someone before." Casey just smiled and kissed him again.

"I love you too Derek." She said a few moments later, and enjoyed this wonderful out of body experience.

They arrived home a few hours later to find Marti, Edwin and Lizzie on the couch watching Barbie and the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Edwin and Lizzie looked almost zoned out, but not zoned out enough to notice the looks and smiles Derek and Casey were sharing.

"Well," Edwin said silently enough to Lizzie that not even Marti heard. "Its about time they got together. I thought all the tension in this house was going to start a fire."

"Edwin." Lizzie said. "That's static."

"Whatever," Edwin said, turning back to the television. "Static, tension. Same thing."

Lizzie rolled her eyes as Marti spoke up.

"Why are all the Prince Charmings named Derek?" She asked, obviously confused. Edwin and Lizzie looked over towards Derek and Casey.

"I don't know," Casey said, turning to Derek, who had a giant lovesick smile on his face. "But I believe it."

**From then on Casey McDonald knew that Derek wasn't a player. Yes, he played sports that sometimes labeled him as that, but he only had eyes for her from that moment on the snow bank on. Well, who actually knows how long she captivated him. But what is certain is that he was always going to catch her when she fell.**


End file.
